Show i American People Stress t Moral Spiritual Values t By DONA S. S PETERSON Sanpete PTA Council President The American people have always always al ale ways held the development of moral and spiritual values tobe to tobe tobe be a great and continuing aim of their homes and nd their schools Recently however parents teachers religious leaders and other citizens across the country have been sometimes at a workshop and and- sometimes in a home to seek ways of Improving the moral and spiritual guidance provided by the home the school and the community as a whole There are many reasons for this increased attention to the moral and spiritual values of oft t today ay Some of them are 1 The recent changes in the merican American life that have demanded demanded demanded de de- a different understanding understand understand- ing of what those values mean how they can best be learned Family stability has been shaken by widespread divorces separations and the demand of military service The Individual seems to be lost in complex scale large-scale industrial and governmental governmental governmental gov gov- organizations Impersonal Im personal relationships characterize characterize charac charac- many of our social and business contacts Political tensions the brutal realities of war the prospect of military service causes fear and insecurities insecurities insecurities in adults and youth Because Because Because Be Be- cause of changes such as these each individual must exert a greater reater self-discipline self than ever before before- to adhere to moral and spiritual values Unusual hazards to healthy moral and spiritual growth be besets sets our young people Fals False and superficial values are made appealing by high pressured pressured pressured pres pres- advertising Stories of ot crime violence and greed fill our newspaper columns flash nash across TV and movie screens and echo from the radio Many adults are devo devoted ed to materialistic materialistic ma ma- standards of success Some public officials betray their trusts Many citizens teach by example habits of civic apathy These conditions are very pressing and most dis dis- So much so that the adults who work with youth are often astonished not at how bad our boys and girls are but rather in light of our social environment and adult adultE E i examples s show how so many of ot them can be so fine The Importance of moral and spiritual values to society as aswell aswell well weIr as to the individual has been underlined by the recent struggle with fascism and the current hassle with As a democracy our bur in- in 3 strength lies not in a in control con con- j t bv by secret police and all all- r powerful government officials J 1 but in voluntary allegiance to tote the te common Ideals When we t l falter in our devotion to these I t 1 ideals by freedom of speech I or though t h or bv by compromising compromis ng principles to obtain temporary i advantage e. e our moral failures I Iare are given civen international public public- 1 ity Our position of world leadership leadership lead lead- J today depends not only I d don on our great eat productive capac- capac I and material but bu 1 also on our firm belief in the i worth of the individual I Another reason for renewed I interest in moral and spiritual I J values is our greater understanding understanding understanding under under- standing of how a child grows how his Ills P personality develops and how he learns Young people people peo peo- pIe are saying saying they have not had enough help in tn learning how to get along with others and ard finding i ding a purpose in life Youth has always been a t time me for seeking reasons behind q accepted accepted ac ac- ac- ac t standards and ideas 11 We adults have been somewhat somewhat somewhat some some- what slow stow to realize that we t W have not been giving and cannot cannot can can- 1 not give our boys and girls the I answers to the many choices I II f confronting t them m in a rapidly changing world i This This inability of ours ours increases increases in creases creases the Jm importance of help help- heh ing kg youth develop the values s that will guide them in makIng making making mak mak- i ing the necessary moral deci for themselves The home is where the child first develops develops develops devel devel- ops an attitude toward him him- self Knowing that he is loved and growing in ability to think and act for tor himself helps him to realize that he is an dual of importance If he fails taits to develop self respect and a sense of belonging at home it will be doubly difficult for him to find these necessary satisfactions in school and with his friends A person must learn to live well with himself before he can live well with others 1 PTA district council meeting 1 I will be held in the Gunnison Valley Elementary School on i Thursday Nov 21 at 4 pm p.m. All council and local PTA officers officers officers of of- and chairmen must be bein bein in atte attendance dance School board members are I also invited to participate i 1 |